The Chessboard of Life and Death

The ageless chessboard at the dawn of time Once welcomed Life and Death— a round of game, Life made first move and said in silent mime: How smart! Ye make my every move so lame. Death sighed, I still can’t quite seeds of Life tame, Ye white, me black, we play from times so prime, We both have grown worthy of our fair name, And so the game goes on from ancient time. Destiny, mute witness, smiled a wise smile: Friends, Nature’s game is too dire to divine, Two parts of a coin, pawns as if of His guile, Your job’s to play, enjoy, and fall in line. Allies on a steering wheel, you’re no foes, Enjoy and help enjoy the game as goes. _____________________________________________ Sonnets |03.08.2021| Poet’s note: The octave, all of four pairs of the same rhyme, indicates that Life and Death play an equal game, no one winning, no one losing, none conceding. In a sestet Destiny intervenes as if to make a truce; the sonnet-ending couplet announcing the last verdict.